This thesis reports a series of studies into textbook authors', teachers' and students' use of analogies to improve students' understanding of abstract chemistry concepts. The five research problems considered: (a) the nature and extent of analogy use in textbooks; (b) the views of textbook authors and editors concerning analogies; (c) how, when, and why analogies were used by experienced chemistry teachers; (d) the development of an instrument to determine chemistry students' understanding of analogies; and (e) how chemistry students use the analogies presented as part of their chemistry instruction.Study One reports the findings of an investigation of ten chemistry textbooks used by Australian students for the nature and extent of analogy inclusion. The study found that, while used sparingly, analogies were employed more frequently in the beginning of textbooks and that the analogies used concrete analog domains to describe abstract target concepts. There was considerable use of pictorial-verbal analogies although simple analogies comprised a substantial proportion and stated limitations or warnings were infrequently employed.Study Two involved interviews with the authors of eight of the above mentioned textbooks to determine authors' views on analogies and their use in textbooks and teaching. The study identified a relationship between how frequently analogies were used by the author and what he or she considered to be the characteristics of a good chemistry teacher. Each author had a good understanding of the nature of analogy and each sought a flexible environment for its use - most arguing that analogies are better used by teachers than printed in textbooks. They appeared to favour analogies embedded in text or placed in margins rather than as post-synthesisers or advance organisers.Study Three reports an investigation into six chemistry teachers' use of ++ / analogies in Western Australia and England. This study found that the teachers drew upon their experiences and professional reading as sources of the analogies that tended to be spontaneously used when they felt their students had not understood an explanation. The analogies tended to map functional attributes of abstract target concepts with some teachers using the blackboard to illustrate pictorial analogies and some including statements of limitations.Study Four describes the development of analogy maps - instruments used to determine the effectiveness with which students map given analogies. The iterative development process engaged classroom-based research methods to develop an instrument of value both for teaching and for school-related research. A rating system enables researchers to compare students' effectiveness at mapping analogies with variables such as analogy type.Studies Five and Six describe how a combination of interviews and analogy map surveys were used to investigate how students used analogies in chemistry. The study found that students felt more confident with pictorial-verbal analogies although they were not necessarily able to map these analogies better than verbal (only) analogies. Also, student mapping confidence appeared not to depend upon the level of enrichment supplied and added enrichment did not necessarily aid mapping performance. Further, the analogy maps were useful as a means to identify alternative conceptions and there was little evidence that the analogy maps contributed to the formation of alternative conceptions in the learners.The final chapter draws together and discusses the assertions made in all of the previous studies before considering the contribution of the thesis to theory building. The implications of the research are discussed and suggestions made for future research on analogies in chemistry education. The chapter ++ / concludes by outlining examples of how and where the findings of this research have begun to be disseminated.

九年一貫課程實施以來，國小英語教育起初由五年級開始進行，許多國小英語教材陸續送審上市；三年後改由國小三年級開始實施正式英語教學後，各出版社無不積極改編、增編教科書以因應政策之改變，也因此，舉凡國內或進口之英語教材，版本相當繁多。 本研究旨在調查台灣現行國小英語教科書之使用現況、國小英語教師使用這些教材後的評鑑與建議以及國小英語教科書之選用情形。首先以問卷及訪談調查法針對全國國小英語教師進行研究，從而了解國小英語教師使用教材的意見；主要探討的為: (1) 國小英語教師對所使用之英語教材在整體方面、課本、習作、教師手冊以及輔助教具等五大部分進行評析；(2) 國小英語教師使用教材時之困難與建議；(3) 國小英語教科書之選用狀況。 研究對象為全國共兩百三十九位英語教師，根據問卷調查以及訪談結果所做的資料分析，得到以下主要的發現: 1.英語教師對於所使用之審定版教材，整體看來各版本之間並無顯著之 差異。而針對教材之課本內容，翰林版本教材在「字彙透過有意義、 真實的情境加以介紹及練習」該項目之評析結果優於康軒版，而另兩 版之教材在此評比項目無顯著之表現。 2.不論是何版本，大多數英語教師不滿意於學生習作與教師手冊。 3.大多數英語教師不論在使用何種版本教材，所遇到之最大之困難在於學 生英語程度差異太大。 4.對於選用教材所秉持之各項標準，英語教師們認為其重要性依序為出版 社服務態度、教材主題多樣性、活動設計、符合課程綱要及其編輯理 念、字彙量之多寡、文法之難易、出版社之規模與信譽、教師手冊以及 出版社是否舉辦教師研習及師訓活動。 5.各校英語教科書評選委員主要由英文老師組成，然而大多數學校評選教 科書時並未採用任何評選指標。 6.評選流程大致為瀏覽各版本教科書、邀請出版商舉辦說明會以及英語教 師評選之會議。 / Since 2001 when English education was introduced into elementary schools, all the publishers in Taiwan have been required to compile the appropriate textbooks for the elementary school students in a very short time. As a result, there are a great variety of teaching materials available on the market. Thus, textbook selection becomes crucial for elementary schools. In response to this situation, this study aims to survey teachers’ evaluation and selection of the elementary English textbooks by using questionnaires and conducting interviews. The study focuses mainly on the following issues: (1) teachers’ evaluation of the elementary English textbooks, including students’ books, workbooks, teachers’ manuals and the teaching aids,(2) problems teachers encounter when using those textbooks, and (3) the selection of the textbooks. The subjects are 239 elementary English teachers across Taiwan. In the survey, four versions of textbooks are observed, compared and evaluated by the respondents of the questionnaires. After data analysis, the main findings are obtained as follows: 1. Among the four textbooks in use, there is no significant difference between each version in 　　　 overall evaluation, except that the content of the textbook published by Hanlin is superior to that published by Kang Hsuan in terms of providing the meaningful and realistic learning situation in vocabulary learning and practices. 2. Most English teachers are dissatisfied with the students’ workbook and teacher’s manual. 3. A great diversity of students’ English proficiency levels is the greatest problem teachers encountered when using all those textbooks. 4. The service and attitude of the publishers is seen as the most important criterion for selecting the materials. 5. In most schools, textbooks are selected mainly by English teachers, but no checklists or criteria are used in selecting the textbooks. 6. The common procedure of selecting the textbook is a browse of the materials, an introduction seminar held by the publishers, and then a meeting for the decision of textbook selection.